Of Falling Snowflakes and Disappearing Cats
by LokiTheCheshireCat
Summary: Agent Catherine "Ches", an ex HYDRA experiment, is one of SHIELD's top agents & after the New York incident, joins the Avengers to fight against their new enemy, the manipulative Slash. She meets Bucky, Cap's old friend and the two click instantly. But as time flies, Cat realises their joint pasts could mean something. Bucky/OC, Capsicoul etc. Post CATWS, may not be TTDW compliant
1. Chapter 1

Hello world! I have not been on FF for months. And suddenly i appear once again. LOL. Weeellll, I am back! With some ideas that have been lodged in the folder at the bottom of the drawer that is my mind. This is a new fic and i hope you folks like this!

Ches :)

Note: Sam, Bucky and Loki have joined the Avengers so this is post CATWS but it may not be TTDW compliant.

I DO NOT OWN MARVEL OR THE AVENGERS.

Chapter 1

After the damned New York incident and the one with Fury in Washington, things have been a bit rough for SHIELD. Or what's left of it. Our current base is unknown to the Avengers but it's soon to be known. Or at least that's what I overheard May discussing with Coulson. It seems they're being rounded up again which means another person or force is trying to take over the world. Hooray. It's definitely not Loki this time, for some reason Odin decided to punish him by making him join the band of heroes. Way to go almighty ruler of Asgard. Jeez, what does it take to get people to think straight these days.

From what May has told me, a random mutant has been manifesting a sort of power that allows him to manipulate any force or person he chooses. He goes by the name Slash. Have never heard of him though.

The Avengers were at Stark's tower. Or the newly named Avengers Tower. May had gone down to inform them of the looming enemy. I had tagged along as a guard, being SHIELD's top agent at that time. But honestly, I hadn't been assigned to come along, I came of my own accord. We were welcomed warmly by JARVIS, Tony's A.I. and we rode up to the top deck where we were told that the band of heroes were.

Despite May's clear instructions to wait downstairs, I had to know the official cause of gathering the greats. I snuck up with her and hid in the shadows of the room as she greeted the Avengers. Hiding was easy but staying hidden was the task at hand. As May was about to start discussing with the heroes, she paused and looked around before finally staring directly at me. "Ches, out of the shadows. You know I'm the only person that can spot you when you hide. You were supposed to stay downstairs." She huffed and looked accusingly at the shadows in the corner of the room.

"Um, Agent May? I don't mean to be rude but there's no one there." Captain Rogers had to pipe up. May crossed her arms and held her ground before I released a sigh of exasperation. I stepped out of the shadows and frowned. "Don't you know how not to ruin my fun?" I pouted at May. She rolled her eyes and was about to get back to work when Clint spoke. "Who's this?" I stood firmly and looked over at May. She sighed and shook he head. "You are so going to pay for wasting their time Agent Ches." May glared at me before turning to look back at the Avengers. "Everyone, this is Agent Ches. She's currently our most skilled agent apart from Clint and Natasha and she's part mutant." May introduced me with a wave. "Real name's Catherine. And no I'm not a mutant May, please get your facts right. I was experimented on by Hydra when I was younger and I escaped about a year after the incident. SHIELD found me and took me into their academy before well, before the Washington incident happened." I inclined my head to Cap.

I saw Cap look back and suddenly someone stood up. He had a mop of brown hair that was tied back into a small bun at the back of his head and he had the iciest blue eyes I had ever seen. He also had an arm made entirely of gleaming metal. "Bucky was from, ahem, Hydra as well." Cap said, looking back at forth between me and said Bucky. I nodded a greeting and he looked at me suspiciously. "What if she's been spying for Hydra?" Natasha voice out, casting me a glance akin to the way Bucky was eyeing me. "Hydra stole all my memories. They tried to turn me into a weapon. They took everything from me and left me with my name. That was it. I can't remember who my parents are, whether I had siblings? Whether I loved anyone. They stripped me of my life and I am going to make them pay for it, oh don't you worry about that." I hissed angrily.

Natasha's eyes widened before she nodded. "If we could get back to the plan..." May offered, trying to get everyone back on topic when Bruce decided to go all "Dr Banner" on me. "How'd you hide in the shadows?" He asked. I looked over at May for approval and she waved me off. I smiled and closed my eyes before I allowed myself to relax. When I opened my eyes, I found nine very shocked Avengers looking at me. I let a smirk slip on my face and from the corner of my eyes I saw May give way to an amused smile. "Your... your hands and eyes..." Bruce trailed off. "Hydra experiment remember? There's a reason why they call me Ches. It's short for Cheshire Cat. I can disappear just fine and the claws and eyes actually developed over time." I explained, reverting back to my usual self. Bruce was nodding, his glasses balanced in the bridge of his nose precariously as he inspected me. Tony seemed impressed and even Loki seemed to have taken interest.

"And now if you will, I think May needs to talk to you guys." I chuckled and resumed my position by the elevator, keeping guard. May gave me a glance of approval before continuing her discussion with the heroes. Every once in a while I caught Bucky glancing my way and I had to stop myself from frowning in confusion.

Eventually they finished their discussion. Apparently Slash, the new villain, had the ability to manipulate people's minds. He had taken control of some of the world's known heroes and villains. Venom, Sabertooth, the Human Torch, Scarlet Witch and more. It was quite the army.

May was about to take her leave when Cap stopped her. "Leave the girl. I think she'd make a valuable addition to the team." He said. May frowned for a bit before sighing. "I'm afraid I don't have the power to make this decision Captain Rogers." She replied. Cap arched an eyebrow. "Then who does?" He asked. He seemed persistent enough.

"Who's in charge?" May choked out. Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. The Avengers had no clue about Agent Phil Coulson being alive. And Fury had wanted it that way. There was no way we could do that now. It could jeopardise everything.

"Unless you're hiding something from us, Agent May, I'd like to know who to go to about this inquiry since Fury, has stepped down." Cap repeated. May casted a glance back at me and spoke.

"The person in charge is..." She trailed off. Everyone seemed to stop everything to hear her answer. Time itself seemed to cease.

"Phil Coulson."


	2. Chapter 2

HELLO! DOUBLE UPDATE! IM ALL PUMPED! HOORAY!

Ches

I DO NOT OWN MARVEL OR THE AVENGERS.

Chapter 2

"What?" Cap breathed, his stare blank and his posture rigid. So much for divulging the secret of Phil's resurrection. "Agent May, I think you must be mistaken, Phil Coulson is dead. He died during the damned attack. He. Is. Dead. I saw him. He can't be alive." Cap said, taking a deep breath. It was easy to see that Cap had a sense of profound affection to his then Number One fan.

"Fury ordered doctors to use a serum from an alien from Project T.A.H.I.T.I., which is classified, to revive him." May explained, she looked exhausted. Everyone just looked shocked about the news. I kept my position by the door and did not say a word. Coulson's death had struck a deadly blow to the Avengers, especially Cap. I could see Cap's facade breaking in those sky blue eyes of his.

"Take us to him." He said firmly. May looked at him, pity in her eyes. She looked at all of them and paused on Loki, the very god who killed Coulson. "I'm afraid I can't do that Captain, Fury gave us strict orders before he left." She replied, her gaze still on Loki.

"Take me to him or so help me I will find him on my own!" Cap suddenly growled. No one had ever seen the Cap's temper flare before so this was a first. He had his shield in hand and I was pretty sure he was not afraid to use it. He did not seem like the patriotic Captain in that moment. After a few seconds he seemed to have realised what he had said and apologised. May looked sceptical about whether the Captain would go all out o look for Phil of it was an empty threat. I had a feeling he would go all out but I didn't voice my opinion.

With that we left Avengers Tower but not before Cap invited me to come back anytime I wished. I had simply nodded my thanks before the elevator door shut. Once we were behind closed doors, May sent a message back to base to inform them that Coulson's secret was now known. "Why'd you tell them?" I asked May. She was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "Coulson's been out of it for a while. Just yesterday when I visited his office, I found an old sketch of Captain Roger's shield on his desk and the old trading cards strewn to one side. I think he misses them. More specifically Cap. But I can't o much about it without Fury or Coulson's approval. We don't have a lock on the Director's location so he's not an option and Phil, well, I think he might be in denial. I'm not going to push it but I guess it was no harm to try. At least after the New York incident, the Avengers can have some piece of mind." She replied before stepping out of the elevator, leaving me to trail behind.

I wished JARVIS a good day and we left.

Back at base, May went straight to report to Coulson while I went to look for some of my team mates. Fitz was in his lab with our newly returned Simmons and Skye had disappeared. She had probably gone to visit her boyfriend. Ugh.

That left me with nothing to do so I ended up in the training room, boxing the crap out of a punching bag. There were already two shredded ones on the ground. My mind drifted back to the meeting with the heroes and I could not help but feel that Bucky, Cap's friend, looked very familiar. Maybe it was because I had seen him at the Smithsonian Institution Captain America display. But a thought was nagging at the back of my head. What if... what if I knew Bucky from before SHIELD?

What if I had met him when I was back with HYDRA four years ago?

=.=

A week later I was sparring with Skye when May interrupted up and took e aside.

"Phil has given his approval for the Avengers to come. I need you to come with me and ensure that nothing happens to Phil while they visit. Take this and inject hi with it if he seems to get too flustered or worked up." May explained and handed me a small syringe full of greenish-blue liquid. I nodded and got changed before I made my way to Phil's office. He was nowhere in sight so I sat down and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Until he finally returned, an hour later, just as I received word that the Avengers had arrived. Phil looked nervous and I caught him clutching on tightly to his Captain America trading cards before tucking him away inside his jacket. "Don't looked so nervous. Relax." I offered and rested my hand on his shoulder. Human contact was always the best remedy. Phil seemed to calm down a bit after that.

A minte.

Five minutes.

Twenty minutes.

And finally.

A knock on the door.

May headed the party and opened the door to look inside before swinging the door open fully to reveal the crowd of six Avengers, since they had left Sam, Loki and Bucky back at the Tower.

The first person behind May was of course Cap himself. And when he saw Phil, I swear he looked as if the sky had fallen in and the war had ended all together. It was a mixture of surprise, fear, joy, gratitude and guilt in his eyes all at once. But one thing was clear, all I could feel was the tension of unsaid feelings and unspoken words in the air.

And with that, Cap swiftly moved forward and wrapped Phil in a hug that seemed to squeeze the breath out of him. His face was a flush of red and pink.  
>"I can't believe it, you're really alive." Cap whispered, meaning for Phil to hear his words alone but my improved hearing picked it up and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.<p>

Reunited at last, the fan and his star spangled man.


End file.
